Kitchen cabinet ensemble structure



28, 1950 w. D. MEAGHER 2,501,781

KITCHEN CABINET ENSEMBLE STRUCTURE Filed April 14, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1J6) jfi m 2/7 -24 16 arch 28, 1950 w. D. MEAGHER 2,501,781

KITCHEN CABINET ENSEMBLE STRUCTURE Filed April 14, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Mar. 28, 195 0 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KITCHEN CABINETENSEMBLE STRUCTURE William 1). Meagher, Villa TPar k, 111., assignor toArtcrest Manufacturing Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporationoHi-iin'ois Application April 14, 1949, Serial N 0. 87,515

I 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvement in kitchen cabinet ensemblestructures and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

An ensemble of this kind usually includes laterally spaced right andleft hand side cabinets, a base cabinet including a table top, betweenthe lower ends of the side cabinets and a center cabinet between theupper ends of the side cabinets, with its top disposed either flush withor above the tops of the "side cabinets.

Generally the cabinets are made of sheet metal and heretofore holes weredrilled through the sides of the center cabinet, which were designed toregister with holes in the opposed sides of the center cabinet and boltswere inserted throughthese registering holes to support the centercabinet from the side cabinets and to tie said cabinets together.

It is quite diflicult to drill the holes mentioned so that they willaccurately register and thus rc- 'ceive the bolts. With the cabinetssecured together in this fashion, should the supporting floor 'be unevenor should the wall of the kitchen, against which the ensemble is placed,be uneven, the ensemble is not stable and will lean or tilt and there isno way in which to adjust the cabinets relatively to make them stable.Under such conditions shimming is resorted to but this is notsatisfactory as it entails extra expense and detracts from theappearance, an ensemble of this kind should have in the kitchen, as wellas providing crevices in which insects can lodge.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide in an ensembleof this kind, improved structure whereby the center cabinet may besupported from and attached to the side cabinets without the necessityof providing, as heretofore, the registering bolt holes in the sides ofthe cabinets embodied in theensemble.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an ensemble of thiskind, an improved structure whereby the center cabinet may be disposedwith its top either above "or fiush with the tops of the side cabinets,according to the desires of the purchaser.

Also, it is an object of the invention to provide an ensemble of thiskind wherein adjustment may be made between the cabinets thereof, inorder to compensate for the uneven floor surface upon which the ensembleis to stand, so that it isstable in its set-up condition, without theuse of shims.

Furthermore-it is an object of the invention to :provide a simple andinexpensive bracket for use in providing a pendent support of the centercabl- 2 net from the side cabinets of the ensemble, which will affordsuch adjustment between said cabinets that the ensemble will be stable.

The above mentioned objects of the invention along with others, togetherwith the advantages thereof will more fully appear as the specificationproceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a kitchen cabinet ensemble embodying thepreferred form of invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view, through parts of theupper end of the ensemble, as taken on the line 33 and on a scale largerthan that of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in elevation from the back, of theensemble, showing parts of the center cabinet and one of the sidecabinets respectively with one of the improved brackets in positiontherebetween to support the center cabinet from and with its top abovethat of the side cabinet.

Fig. -5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, with the tops of the side andcenter cabinets flush with each other.

Fig. -6 is a perspective View, on substantially the scale of Fig. 4, ofone of a pair of right and left hand brackets employed in the ensembleand which will be more fully referred to later.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustratedin the drawings and especially to Fig. 1 thereof, the ensemble showntherein includes leftand right hand side cabinets 1-0 and "Hrespectively, which are spaced apart laterally to receive between theirlower ends, a base cabinet 12 and to receive between their upper ends, acenter cabinet i3, which is spaced above the top of the base cabinet.

Each of said cabinets is preferably made of sheet metal, although theinvention is applicable to such cabinets when made of other material,such as wood.

The side cabinets are relatively tall and each includes outer sides ii-I4, inner sides i5-l5, a top It, a back i! and an open front to receive adoor 18. The door for each cabinet is hinged toward the associated sidewall l4 to swing outwardly. The margins of the top of each side cabinet.join the sides, back and front thereof by rounded corners, as bestappears in Fig. 3.

The base cabinet 12 is preferably deeper from front to rear than theside cabinets and it includes side walls l9 engaged with theside wallscabinets.

The center cabinet l3, which is preferably of the same front to reardepth as the side cabinets and is the same width as the base cabinet 12,

includes side walls 24, 24, a back wall 25, a bottom 26 and a top 21,and is open at the front to receive the hinged doors 28, which affordaccess to the interior of the cabinet.

Associated with the center cabinet and carried by the side walls 24-24thereof is a pair of right and left hand brackets 30, one of whichappears in Fig. 6. Each bracket, which is preferably made of sheetmetal, has an angle bar cross section and includes a vertical flange 3|,and a horizontal flange 32 extending laterally from the top edge of thevertical flange and joined thereto by a comparatively square sharpcorner. At one end of the bracket, the flange 32 has a dependingextension portion 33 and at the same end of the bracket the flange 3|has a portion 34 which extends laterally therefrom in a directionopposite the flange 32. In the flange 3! are longitudinally spaced,vertical slots 35 and in the portion 34 are vertically aligned slots 36.

The brackets 30, which are carried by the center cabinet, are assembledthereto as follows: The side flange 3| of each bracket is engaged withan associated side 24 of the center cabinet, with the portion of 34engaged against opposite side portions of the back of the cabinet andwith the flange 32 of each bracket extending laterally outward from theassociated side of the cabinet. Fastening devices, such as relativelysmall bolts 31, are passed through openings in the sides of the centercabinet that have been arranged to register with the slots 35 beforementioned, from the inside of the cabinet and then nuts 38 (see Fig. 3)are applied to the free end of the bolts to engage the respective sidesof the center cabinet. Fastening devices, such as small bolts 39 (likethe bolts 31) are passed through openings in the back of the centercabinet from the outside thereof to extend through the slots 36 and thennuts 40 are applied to the front ends of the bolt to engage the back 25of said cabinet; This attaches the brackets to the sides of the centercabinet with the portions 34 thereof engaged with the back of saidcabinet.

The center cabinet IS with the brackets 30-30 thereon may'now be appliedin position between the upper ends of the side cabinets l and II, withthe flange 32 of each bracket engaging in supporting relation uponmargins of the top [6 of each side cabinet. When the center cabinet hasbeen properly positioned upon the side cabinets, the portions 33 at theends of the flanges 32 engage portions of the back wall of therespective side cabinets. As the flanges 32 are engaged upon parts ofthe top of each side cabinet and as the portions 33 of said flangeengage with parts of the back of the side cabinets, the center cabinetis pendently supported from the side cabinet and this in a mannerpreventing any forward movement of the center cabinet relative to theside cabinets.

It is pointed out that the heads of the bolts 31 occupy the spacesbetween the rounded corners joining the sides and the top of the sidecabinets and the sharp corners between the flanges 3I-32 of the brackets30, as best appears in Fig. 3. Thus the sides of the side and centercabinets are separated by spaces corresponding to the thickness of theflanges 3i and these spaces are so narrow as to be unnoticeable.

Should the supporting floor for the ensemble be uneven so that theensemble tends to tilt and become unstable, the center cabinet may beloosened from the side cabinet by loosening the bolts 3! and 39.Thereafter the cabinets may be adjusted relatively by a new position ofthe bolts in the slots 35, 36 to make up for the unevenness. After theadjustment has been made, the bolts 31 and 39 are again tightened andthe ensemble again becomes stable and stands perpendicularly without anytilt.

Some purchasers of the ensemble may desire that the top of the centercabinet be disposed at an elevation above that of the side cabinets, asappears in Figs. 1 and 4 and other purchasers may desire the top of thecenter cabinet flush with the tops of the side cabinets, as appears inFig. 5. Either arrangement may be afforded by suitably disposing theopenings in the sides and back of the center cabinet for the bolts3'l-39. In Fig. 4 the top of the center cabinet is shown as positionedabove the tops of the side cabinets and therefore the bolt holes in thesides and back of the center cabinet would be arranged at elevationslower than is required for such holes when the tops of said cabinets areflush as in Fig. 5.

By reason of said brackets a substantial load bearing area is providedbetween said brackets and the tops of the side cabinets and thereforethe tops of the side cabinets will not sag or buckle under the weight ofthe center cabinet and its contents.

Again as pointed out by means of said brackets and the slot-likeopenings therein, it is possible to make adjustments between thecabinets to compensate for any slight unevenness in the floor upon whichthe ensemble may rest. As the tops of said cabinets are disposed atelevations above eye level, no parts of said brackets are visible andtherefore are not aesthetically objectionable.

While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form,arrangement and construction of the parts involved, the same is to beconsidered only in the illustrative sense and therefore I do not wish tobe limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A kitchen cabinet ensemble embodying therein laterally spaced sidecabinets each having a top and a back, a center cabinet disposed betweenthe upper portion of the side cabinets and including a back, meanssecured to parts of the center cabinet and engaged with the tops of theside cabinets for the support of the center cabinet therefrom, and meanscarried by the first mentioned means and engaged with portions of thebacks of said side and center cabinets.

2. A kitchen cabinet ensemble embodying therein laterally spaced sidecabinets each having a top, a center cabinet disposed between the upperportion of the side cabinets and having sides, and means secured toparts of the sides of the center cabinet and engaged with the tops ofthe side cabinets for the support of the center cabinet therefrom, saidmeans including parts engaged with parts of the backs of said side andcenter cabinets.

3. A kitchen cabinet ensemble embodying therein laterally spaced sidecabinets each having a top, a center cabinet disposed between the upperportion of the side cabinets and including sides, a pair of bracketsassociated with the center cabinet and each including a vertical flangefixed to each side of the center cabinet and a horizontal flangeextending outwardly from an edge of the vertical flange and engaged uponthe tops of said side cabinets for the support of said center cabinettherefrom.

4. A kitchen cabinet ensemble embodying therein laterally spaced sidecabinets each having a top, a center cabinet disposed between the upperportion of the side cabinets and including sides, a pair of bracketsassociated with the center cabinet and each including a vertical flangefixed to each side of the center cabinet and a horizontal flangeextending outwardly from an edge of the vertical flange and engaged uponthe tops of said side cabinets for the support of said center cabinettherefrom, the flanges of each bracket being provided at one end thereofwith parts engageable with parts of the back of said side and centercabinets.

5. A kitchen cabinet ensemble embodying therein laterally spaced sidecabinets each having a top, a center cabinet disposed between the upperportions of the side cabinets and including sides, a pair of bracketsassociated, one with each side of the center cabinet, each bracketincluding a vertical flange engaged with an associated side of thecenter panel and a horizontal flange extending outwardly from an edge ofa vertical flange and engaged upon a top of said side cabinets for thesupport of the center cabinet therefrom, and means providing a slot andfastening device connection between the vertical flange of each bracketand an associated side of the center panel.

6. A kitchen cabinet ensemble embodying therein laterally spaced sidecabinets each having a top, a center cabinet disposed between the upperportions of the side cabinets and including sides, a pair of bracketsassociated one with each side of the center cabinet, each bracketincluding a vertical flange engaged with an associated side of thecenter cabinet and a horizontal REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 330,201 Baynes Nov. 10, 1885692,052 Forster Jan. 28, 1902 925,677 Belcher June 22, 1909 985,924Nelson Mar. '7, 1911 1,384,583 Wood July 12, 1921

